Ethan Brooks
How To Manage Sound Notifications on Discord in 2025
Discord is still pretty big for gaming and communities, and honestly, managing those pesky sound notifications can be a bit confusing if you’re not used to all the menus. Sometimes, notifications randomly pop up or don’t play sounds at all, especially after updates. Here’s what’s worked on my setups — and yeah, it’s kinda weird, but some things just need a nudge in the right direction.
Step 1: Access User Settings
First, you gotta open the User Settings. That gear icon down at the bottom left can be easy to miss — it’s near your username. Clicking it opens a menu with a ton of options, so it’s worth checking out all of them, especially if your alerts are acting wonky.
Step 2: Navigate to Notification Settings
Once in the settings, look for the Notifications section under App Settings. This is the main hub for toggling sounds and managing how Discord pings you. Sometimes, it’s called “Notification Settings” or just “Notifications,” but it’s always under the same spot.
Step 3: Customize Sound Alerts
Here’s where you can really make some noise or quiet things down. You’ll see options for message alerts, mentions, group activity, and calls. To disable or enable sounds, toggle those switches. Be aware that on some machines, toggling off doesn’t always disable the sound immediately — you might need to restart Discord or even reboot your PC (because of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary).
Example: If notifications aren’t sounding, check the “Play sound” option for each category. Sometimes, it’s a separate toggle or checkbox.
- If you want total silence, turn off all the sound toggles here.
- Got a noisy server? Right-click on the server icon, then pick Notification Settings. You can set custom alerts or mute the whole thing.
Step 4: Mute Notifications for Specific Servers
This is the classic in-your-face solution. Right-click on the server, choose Notification Settings, and decide whether you want notifications, muted, or custom alerts. If a server is just too loud or distracting, muting it can save you from constant pinging, and you can still check messages when you want.
Step 5: Use Streamer Mode
For folks who live on streaming or need quiet for recordings, Streamer Mode is the best friend. It disables sounds, pop-ups, and can hide sensitive info. You toggle it in User Settings. If your sound issues happen when streaming, try turning this on — it’s a quick fix that works surprisingly well.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
Here’s the deal: frequently changing settings or incorrect settings can lead to missed sounds or weird behavior. Make sure your app is fully updated, and if sounds suddenly stop, sometimes disconnecting and reconnecting audio devices or restarting Discord (or even the PC) helps. On some setups, plugins or system sound settings override Discord — double-check your sound mixer (Windows > Sound mixer). Also, mess with Discord’s official guides if needed.
- Review your notification rules when joining new servers — they tend to inherit default settings.
- Set up “Do Not Disturb” if you just wanna focus or sleep without distractions.
- Mute individual servers or channels if they’re too chatty but keep some alerts for others.
Conclusion
Getting sound notifications sorted on Discord can sometimes feel like a puzzle — not gonna lie. But once you get the hang of toggling settings in the right places, it’s easier to keep your ears happy without getting overwhelmed. Just keep an eye on those toggles and remember you can mute servers without muting the entire app if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off all sound notifications at once?
Yeah, you can twist all those toggles in Notification Settings to off. Just know, it might mute important messages too — so use with caution.
What happens if I mute a server?
You won’t get notifications or sounds from that server anymore, which is handy if things get super noisy. But you can still check messages manually whenever you want.
Is Streamer Mode suitable for all users?
Streamer Mode is really meant for live streamers and content creators, but anyone can turn it on if they want zero interruptions. It’s a quick way to silence everything, including notifications.
Summary
- Check your user settings for notification toggles.
- Right-click servers to mute or customize alerts.
- Use Streamer Mode if you need total silence during streams.
- Restart Discord if sounds just stop suddenly.
Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone. Honestly, sounds are a pain sometimes, but managing them isn’t impossible. Fingers crossed this helps.